Dispenser and methods

Abstract

A chamber member is mounted to a bottle body and has an opening and partially bounds a first chamber and a second chamber. A selector is mounted to the chamber body for relative rotation between a first dosing condition and a second dosing condition. In the first dosing condition: flow is not blocked from the first chamber out the opening; flow is blocked from the second chamber out the opening; flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and flow is not blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber. In the second dosing condition: flow is blocked from the first chamber out the opening; flow is not blocked from the second chamber out the opening; flow is not blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus ( 20 ) comprising:
 a bottle body ( 22 ) having an interior ( 23 ) for storing a flowable material; 
 a chamber member ( 24 ) mounted to the bottle body and having an opening ( 130 ,  132 ) and partially bounding a first chamber ( 62 ) and a second chamber ( 64 ); and 
 a selector ( 26 ) mounted for rotation relative to the chamber member between a free pouring condition, a first dosing condition and a second dosing condition, 
 
       wherein:
 in the free-pouring condition, flow ( 530 ,  532 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior ( 23 ), through the first ( 62 ) and second ( 64 ) chambers and out the opening; 
 in the first dosing condition:
 flow ( 520 ) is not blocked from the first chamber out the opening; 
 flow is blocked from the second chamber out the opening; 
 flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and 
 flow ( 522 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber; and 
 
 in the second dosing condition:
 flow is blocked from the first chamber out the opening; 
 flow ( 524 ) is not blocked from the second chamber out the opening; 
 flow ( 526 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and 
 flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the selector is mounted for rotation relative to the chamber member between said first dosing condition, said second dosing condition, a closed condition; and 
 in the closed condition, flow is blocked from the bottle interior ( 23 ) into both the first and second chambers and is blocked from the first ( 62 ) and second ( 64 ) chambers out the opening. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein:
 the selector and chamber member combined to provide means for identifying each of the first dosing condition, second dosing condition, free-pouring condition, and closed condition. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the selector is mounted for rotation relative to the chamber member between said free pouring condition, said first dosing condition, said second dosing condition, and a closed condition; and 
 in the closed condition, flow is blocked from the bottle interior ( 23 ) into both the first and second chambers and is blocked from the first ( 62 ) and second ( 64 ) chambers out the opening. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 a dose volume of the first chamber and of the second chamber is 15-75 ml. 
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 a dose volume of the first chamber and of the second chamber is 20-40 ml. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the chamber member ( 24 ) and selector ( 26 ) are each a single separate piece assembled to each other. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the bottle body is polyethylene; and 
 the chamber member and selector are polypropylene. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a flowable material within the bottle body. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the bottle body interior has a volume of 0.4-2.01. 
 
     
     
       11. A method for manufacturing the apparatus of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 securing the chamber member to the bottle body; and 
 securing the selector to the chamber member. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11  wherein:
 the securing of the chamber member comprises locking to prevent rotation and extraction; and 
 the securing of the selector comprises snapping onto the chamber member to permit rotation between at least said first dosing condition and second dosing condition. 
 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the chamber member is threaded onto a neck of the bottle body. 
 
     
     
       14. A method for using the apparatus of  claim 1  comprising:
 inclining the apparatus in the first dosing condition to pour ( 520 ) a first dose of material from the first chamber and introduce ( 522 ) a second dose of the material to the second chamber; 
 rotating the selector to the second dosing condition to isolate, relative to the bottle interior, the second chamber; and 
 inclining the apparatus in the second dosing condition to pour ( 524 ) the second dose of material from the second chamber and replenish ( 526 ) the first dose of the material in the first chamber. 
 
     
     
       15. A method for using an apparatus ( 20 ), the apparatus comprising:
 a bottle body ( 22 ) having an interior ( 23 ) for storing a flowable material; 
 a chamber member ( 24 ) mounted to the bottle body and having an opening ( 130 ,  132 ) and partially bounding a first chamber ( 62 ) and a second chamber ( 64 ); and 
 a selector ( 26 ) mounted for rotation relative to the chamber member between a first dosing condition and a second dosing condition, 
 
       wherein:
 in the first dosing condition:
 flow ( 520 ) is not blocked from the first chamber out the opening; 
 flow is blocked from the second chamber out the opening; 
 flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and 
 flow ( 522 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber; and 
 
 in the second dosing condition:
 flow is blocked from the first chamber out the opening; 
 flow ( 524 ) is not blocked from the second chamber out the opening; 
 flow ( 526 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and 
 flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber, 
 
 
       the method comprising:
 inclining the apparatus in the first dosing condition to pour ( 520 ) a first dose of material from the first chamber and introduce ( 522 ) a second dose of the material to the second chamber; 
 rotating the selector to the second dosing condition to isolate, relative to the bottle interior, the second chamber; and 
 inclining the bottle body in the second dosing condition to pour ( 524 ) the second dose of material from the second chamber and replenish ( 526 ) the first dose of the material in the first chamber. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 rotating the selector ( 26 ) to the free-pouring condition; and 
 in the free-pouring condition, inclining the bottle body to cause flow ( 530 ,  532 ) from the bottle interior ( 23 ), through the first ( 62 ) and second ( 64 ) chambers in parallel, and out the opening. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15  wherein:
 the introducing ( 522 ) of the second dose comprises an overfilling; 
 a re-uprighting allows partial drainback from the second chamber to eliminate the overfilling of the second dose; and 
 the replenishing ( 526 ) of the first dose comprises an overfilling; and 
 a second re-uprighting causes partial drainback from the first chamber to eliminate the overfilling of the first dose. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 rotating the selector to a free-pouring condition; and 
 in the free-pouring condition, pouring material from the bottle body interior out of the apparatus. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18  wherein:
 a re-uprighting after the pouring leaves both the first chamber and the second chamber containing doses of the flowable material. 
 
     
     
       20. An apparatus ( 20 ) comprising:
 a bottle body ( 22 ) having an interior ( 23 ) for storing a flowable material; 
 a chamber member ( 24 ) mounted to the bottle body and having an opening ( 130 ,  132 ) and partially bounding a first chamber ( 62 ) and a second chamber ( 64 ); and 
 a selector ( 26 ) mounted for rotation relative to the chamber member between a first dosing condition and a second dosing condition, 
 
       wherein:
 in the first dosing condition:
 flow ( 520 ) is not blocked from the first chamber out the opening; 
 flow is blocked from the second chamber out the opening; 
 flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and 
 flow ( 522 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber; 
 
 in the second dosing condition:
 flow is blocked from the first chamber out the opening; 
 flow ( 524 ) is not blocked from the second chamber out the opening; 
 flow ( 526 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and 
 flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber; 
 
 the chamber member is secured to the bottle body against rotation and extraction; and 
 the selector is secured to the chamber member via snap engagement permitting rotation between at least the first dosing condition and said second dosing condition. 
 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein:
 the selector is held for rotation via a cooperating rib and channel. 
 
     
     
       22. An apparatus ( 20 ) comprising:
 a bottle body ( 22 ) having an interior ( 23 ) for storing a flowable material and having a neck ( 28 ) with an external thread ( 34 ); 
 a chamber member ( 24 ) mounted to the bottle body and having an opening ( 130 ,  132 ) and partially bounding a first chamber ( 62 ) and a second chamber ( 64 ) and having:
 an inner wall ( 50 ); 
 an outer wall ( 52 ); and 
 an annular bottom wall ( 54 ) joining the inner wall and the outer wall, the inner wall bearing a feature ( 66 ) for engaging the external thread; and 
 
 a selector ( 26 ) mounted for rotation relative to the chamber member between a first dosing condition and a second dosing condition, 
 
       wherein:
 in the first dosing condition:
 flow ( 520 ) is not blocked from the first chamber out the opening; 
 flow is blocked from the second chamber out the opening; 
 flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and 
 flow ( 522 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber; and 
 
 in the second dosing condition:
 flow is blocked from the first chamber out the opening; 
 flow ( 524 ) is not blocked from the second chamber out the opening; 
 flow ( 526 ) is not blocked from the bottle interior to the first chamber; and 
 flow is blocked from the bottle interior to the second chamber. 
 
 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein:
 the chamber member comprises vertical radial vanes ( 56 ,  58 ,  60 ) between the inner wall, outer wall, and bottom wall, to define the first chamber and the second chamber. 
 
     
     
       24. The dispenser of  claim 23  wherein:
 the chamber member is a single piece.